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Public sector Monitoring and service management Cyber security

Case Finnish Defence Forces

The Finnish Defence Forces develops its digitalisation capabilities long-term with Digia

Digital services for the defence industry sector emphasise not only long-term partnership, but also scalability, security of supply, information security, and 24/7 secured services and infrastructure. Digia has decades of strong knowhow and expertise in the provision of digital services for the defence industry sector – it has cooperated with the Finnish Defence Forces for over 20 years.

 

The main objectives of the digitalisation of the Finnish Defence Forces is to enhance their digitalisation capabilities and harness the benefits of digitalisation in the development of performance. The Finnish Defence Forces have engaged in systematic digitalisation development efforts for a long time – progress in these efforts is supported by a digitalisation programme launched in 2021. A key element of the programme is the management of digitalisation and culture – that is, putting digitalisation into practice throughout the organisation.

Digia was already involved in the preparation of the digitalisation programme and its role was expanded to that of a trusted partner with the establishment of the Digital Office at the end of 2021. The Digital Office is Digia’s and the Finnish Defence Forces’ joint approach to digitalisation.

What we do

  • long-term cooperation to promote technological expertise and ensure the domestic security of supply of the critical systems of the Finnish Defence Forces even in exceptional circumstances


The current security environment with its cyberattacks shows that the world is data-driven – defence is a key function in which the importance of data and digitalisation capabilities are put to the test. Data and digitalisation yield, among other things, decision-making capabilities, predictability, higher operational efficiency and overall understanding. In fact, reliability is the most important criterion for a defence industry digital partner.

Colonel Jarkko Karsikas, Chief Digital Officer at the Finnish Defence Forces

Cooperation requires extreme trust from a digital partner

The digitalisation programme of the Finnish Defence Forces will continue until the end of 2024 – it is above all a future-oriented programme that prepares the Defence Forces for the challenges of tomorrow. Many future capabilities are considered to be dependent on the capabilities enabled by digitalisation. Skilled personnel and good operational models ensure the capability to get things done in a changing and complex operating environment in the future, too.

“The current security environment with its cyberattacks shows that the world is data-driven – defence is a key function in which the importance of data and digitalisation capabilities are put to the test. Data and digitalisation yield, among other things, decision-making capabilities, predictability, higher operational efficiency and overall understanding. In fact, reliability is the most important criterion for a defence industry digital partner,” says Colonel Jarkko Karsikas, Chief Digital Officer at the Finnish Defence Forces.

Digia plays an important role in the programme as a trusted partner and in sharing good practices from one industry to another. Thanks to its extensive customer base, the company’s strengths include expertise in digitalisation in different sectors. This cooperation requires not only extreme trust and the capabilities mentioned above, but also commitment to long-term cooperation to promote technological expertise and ensure the domestic security of supply of the critical systems of the Finnish Defence Forces even in exceptional circumstances.

Another indication of Digia’s strong development work and investments in the defence industry sector is the establishment of the Defence Unit. The Defence Unit brings together experts in critical systems and project coordination to deliver new efficiency and added value for the sector throughout Digia’s broad service offering. “The cornerstones of the Defence Unit are trust, information security and continuous technological innovation, which are further emphasised in this special environment and support the digital transformation of the Finnish Defence Forces,” says Jussi Tammelin, Director of the Defence Unit.

The Digital Office has been seen as an excellent operating model

Successful digitalisation is reflected in day-to-day work and the operational context as renewed and improved operations, concretising the benefits of digitalisation to all parties. In 2022, the Finnish Defence Forces are introducing international-level benchmarks to track the success of the digitalisation programme and the international ranking of the Defence Forces in digitalisation.

“The Digital Office managed and staffed by an external party has been seen as an excellent thing, as it has also highlighted new and different ways of working. The Digital Office has enabled us to create an atmosphere in which people feel that they are cared for. This is especially important considering the critical role of change agents in the change. The operations are exemplary, encouraging others to do better,” says Colonel Karsikas.

“It’s wonderful to be involved in work that is so important for society. My job as the head of the Finnish Defence Forces’ Digital Office is extremely interesting – and also challenging. The operations of the Digital Office are groundbreaking, as the Defence Forces have never previously implemented this kind of operational model. The leadership is providing its full support for the ongoing transformation. In the midst of constant change, this provides the best possible foundations for success. Digia’s role as trusted partner paves the way to engaging in dialogue throughout the organisation and thereby facilitating comprehensive change. The best things about my job are my team and the people around me. For example, those responsible for digitalisation throughout the organisation – the change agents – bolster confidence in successful change,” says Veikko Nokkala from Digia.